TOMAH - Whistleblowers and family members of veterans who died at a Tomah Department of Veterans Affairs medical center say they want lawmakers to enforce accountability and reform the hospital.

A pair of U.S. House and Senate committees heard testimony Monday on allegations of narcotic overprescribing practices and retaliatory behavior at the Tomah VA hospital.

The facility in west-central Wisconsin came under scrutiny in January following reports that physicians were prescribing more painkillers than most VA hospitals, and employees who spoke out were subjected to intimidation.

The hospital is the subject of multiple investigations.

The deaths of 74-year-old Thomas Baer, of Marshfield, last month; 35-year-old Jason Simcakoski, of Stevens Point in 2014; and 27-year-old Jacob Ward, of Milwaukee in 2013, prompted state representatives to call for a federal probe.

PRESQUE ISLE - The art of violin making dates back hundreds of years, and Brian Derber is carrying on the tradition. He wanted to go into furniture making, but fell into instrument design after taking a class in college. In 1999, he opened his own school. It's the only violin making school in Wisconsin.

"The program itself is modeled after a German school of violin making," said New World School of Violin Making Owner Brian Derber. "Students have to fulfill a certain requirement before they can apply to graduate. So the minimum time they are with me is three years."

Students start out by making the body of a violin in their first year. As they progress, they add the scroll and varnish, which can take months for students to finish. Nearing the end of their stay, they can even try to make a cello.

"In the time that I have with students in the school here, I can only give them so much, and then it's time for them to go someplace else and get more knowledge," said Derber.

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